Forgetting Oneself

# Forget Yourself

On Sunday, March 23, 2025, a teenager lost his life while trying to help another driver on a state highway in Wyoming. This young man was named Riggin Cole Schaffer, 18 years old, who grew up in the city of Broadus, Montana, but was attending WyoTech school in Laramie, Wyoming. While driving on the highway, Riggin saw a driver injured in a car accident, and he stopped to help the victim. But then, another driver crashed into the scene, and Riggin lost his life. Riggin's family shared that he "...was absolutely faithful to those he loved; Riggin was one of the kindest and most generous friends. He would do anything for anyone at any time (except wash dishes). He lived with true integrity and was willing to endure any hardship to protect that integrity."(1)

We thank God for creating people with hearts willing to help those in need, like Riggin! God has given us love for one another, willingness to sacrifice for each other, to work hard and suffer so that our brothers and sisters may be helped, encouraged, and grow in Christ! But it is rare that any of us would be willing to die for someone we have never met or heard of. We usually choose whom to sacrifice for. We have standards about who needs help, rather than helping unconditionally, loving without limits, as our Lord Jesus did. As the apostle Paul said, "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7-8). Thank God!

Indeed, we human beings are imperfect, but Jesus is perfect, holy, and loves everyone—regardless of how many sins that person has committed. Jesus was willing to sacrifice, to die on the cross, to shed his blood to cleanse us of our sins, because he obeyed God the Father and completed the plan of human redemption! Only Jesus Christ is worthy of our faith as the Savior of our lives; because the almighty God rose from the dead—Jesus Christ resurrected and is now seated at the right hand of the living God, as the apostle Paul wrote, "...Jesus Christ, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us" (Romans 8:34).

Therefore, let us "fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Live worthy of his sacrifice, live holy, love everyone unconditionally; imitate the perfect example of Jesus Christ. Always do good, "...enduring hardship, this is commendable before God" (1 Peter 2:20). "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good" (1 Peter 4:19). We pray that God will strengthen us always to live forgetting ourselves, with hearts of care and compassion for those in need of help, especially those who do not yet know who God is; we pray that God's Holy Spirit will guide us and give us grace to be ready to do good, so that we may help our neighbors know God and open their hearts to receive him as the Redeemer of their souls! Thank God! Amen!

Look and follow in God's footsteps, Holy, loving, God the Lord, Christ who sacrificed for humanity, Willing to die, his blood was poured! Thank you for God's love, so wondrous, Determined to live to shine God's Name, Faithfully helping others know God, The world will be saved everywhere the same!

(1) Toria Sheffield, "Teen Died While Trying to Help Another Driver on a Wyoming Highway: 'He Would Do Anything for Anyone at Any Time'", March 29, 2025 02:59PM EDT https://people.com/teen-died-while-trying-help-another-driver-on-wyoming-highway-11705626

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